Simian - Chemistry is What We Are

Don’t get me wrong, aspiring to sound like a band that’s trapped in time can be cool. From the Cardigans to the Beta Band, a modern take on vintage keyboards, analog equipment, and old-school melodies definitely works. However, the flashback can sometimes become tiresome, as simian prove on Chemistry is What we Are. Sonically, the disc is a textbook blend of midtempo drum loops, echoing multitrack vocals, droning organ, and random sound effects that could have come from any gang of European kids with too much free time and a predilection for classic rock and marijuana. simian do it well, but offer nothing new to the equation. The distorted vocals and demo-quality guitar track on “how could i be right” could have dropped right in on any Radiohead b-side without you or Thom Yorke being any the wiser, and “one dimension” is so Pink Floyd it hurts. It’s difficult to be overly critical of the disc, because I do like it – I just can’t escape the fact that simian never become more than the sum of their influences. Everything is in it’s right place (so to speak) but simian needs to be more than a tribute band to hold my interest longer. Nonetheless, if you can overlook the slavish imitation, Chemistry is What we Are is one of the finest albums of background music in recent memory. [www.wearesimian.com]